Proposed Bill Would Cap Baggage Fees at $4.50

Brittany Jones-Cooper
·Reporter
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Legislation proposed by Congressman John Mica would limit how much airlines can charge for checked baggage. (Photo: AP)

Baggage fees are like in-laws — we tolerate them because we don’t have a choice.

But a new law could give passengers something to smile about.

Congressman John Mica (R- Fla.) has introduced a bill that would limit how much airlines can charge for checked bags. If it’s voted through, airline baggage fees would be capped at $4.50, a fraction of the $25 fee that is commonly charged by airlines.

“It’s time to bring some fairness to the soaring fees that airlines are charging consumers for basic services,” Mica said in a statement.

Airlines make big bucks from checked bags. In fact, the United States Travel Association estimates that airline bag fees have added $3.5 billion in revenues over last 12 months.

Mica thinks it’s time for a change.

Related: Attack of the Airline Baggage Fees: Can You Escape Paying Big Bucks to Check Bags?

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Mica believes that lower baggage fees will benefit passengers, but not everyone agrees. (Photo: Thinkstock)

“This is fair and equitable since airports have been held to that fee level for handling passengers at the same $4.50 limitation by law for the past 15 years,” he said in the statement.

Currently, air travelers pay a $4.50 passenger facility charge for each leg of their trip. This money is used to pay for airport maintenance and improvements.

Airports have been pushing to double the passenger facility charge to $8.50, but airlines have repeatedly rejected the proposal. By lowering baggage fees, Mica’s office is sending a message that passenger dollars should be used to improve airports, not increase airline profits.

Related: Genius or Crazy? Passengers Pile on Clothes to Avoid $130 Baggage Fee

Airlines for America lobbies for airlines in Washington. In a statement, the group told The Hill that putting a cap on baggage fees “is a misguided attempt to increase the passenger facility charge…What’s good for travelers is to not nearly double the tax they pay to step foot in an airport when airports have more than enough resources to invest in infrastructure today.”

Clearly, we have a long way to go until this bill becomes a reality. It has to get approved by the House, and it looks like it’s going to be a struggle.

In the meantime, we’ll continue overpacking our carry-on bags to avoid fees.

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